Alexander McCall Smith, the author of the award-winning novel Women's Detective Agency No. 1, spoke in a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald (December 2006) about his famously optimistic views of Africa and its people. The works of many African authors express rather dark and gloomy opinions compared to McCall Smith's views. In an interview with the "Foreign Correspondent" McCall Smith states that Botswana is a very beautiful country and that Africa turned him into a successful novelist and made him famous for his views on hope and optimism. There is a strong sense of family and community that gives reason for belonging, hope and optimism. McCall Smith creates hope and optimism in his novel through his characters and their events. The protagonist Mma Ramotswe illustrates the qualities of her country's conventional patriotism. He is not the only character to demonstrate such virtues. Many of the other characters show pride and dignity for their country. Botswana society is proud of its cultural background and is confident and optimistic about its country. Mma Ramotswe is not ashamed of loving her country, she is an African patriot. He loved his country, Botswana, which is a place of peace and he loved Africa with all its trials. I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe (McCall Smith 2003, 2)Obed Ramotswe, Precious Ramotswe's father loves his country "I love our country and I am proud to be a Motswana" (McCall Smith 2003 , 17) and then says on behalf of his people "there is no other country in Africa that can keep its head to itself like us" (McCall Smith 2003, 17). Obed also says that his people should love Botswana because there is no other country in Africa that can hold its head high like us. We have no political prisoners and never have had any. We have democracy. We were careful. The Bank of Botswana is full of money, coming from our diamonds. We owe nothing (McCall Smith 2003, 17) Mr JLB Matekoni, a main character demonstrates his belonging to his country "O Botswana, my country, my place" (McCall Smith 2003, 232) and shows that he has a place in this world. Mma Ramotswe's pride is evident when she states that she would "be nothing but an African" (McCall Smith 2003, 214). Many of the characters recognize that there are dark and bleak sides to the country, but continue to appreciate what they have and their homeland..